Columbiana, AL Live Doppler Radar

Live radar for Columbiana, Shelby County: every NWS radar combined, rain, snow and ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and official warnings.

Open live radar for Columbiana What TALON shows

What weather hits Columbiana?

Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged damaging thunderstorm winds on 167 days in the Shelby forecast zone and Shelby County — the most common reported hazard around Columbiana, mostly in June and August. Next come flash flooding (56 days) and lightning casualties & damage (12 days).

Hazard	Days reported	Most recent	Worst on record
Damaging thunderstorm winds	167	Jun 2026	Mar 19, 1998 · $380,000 damage
Flash flooding	56	Jun 2026	Oct 6, 2021 · 2 deaths
Lightning casualties & damage	12	Aug 2024	Jun 25, 2018 · $300,000 damage
Heavy snow & winter storms	11	Jan 2025	Jan 28, 2000 · $15,000 damage
Excessive heat	10	Jul 2025	—
Flooding	6	Jul 2017	Mar 10, 2010 · $500,000 damage
Extreme cold & wind chill	5	Feb 2017	Mar 7, 1996 · $1.0 million damage
High winds	5	Apr 2020	Sep 16, 2004 · $1.2 million damage

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1996–2026 (the latest year is partial). A "day" is a date with at least one report in the Shelby forecast zone and Shelby County; damage is as reported, not adjusted for inflation.

Which radars cover Columbiana?

The closest NEXRAD Doppler radar is KBMX (Birmingham, AL), about 9 miles west. Radar beams climb as they travel, so the height of the lowest scan over town decides how low in a storm the radar can see.

Radar	Distance	Lowest beam over Columbiana	View
KBMX Birmingham, AL	9 mi west	500 ft	Excellent — the lowest scan sees close to the ground
KMXX Maxwell AFB, AL	66 mi southeast	5,200 ft	Good — most storms and steady rain or snow show clearly
KGWX Columbus AFB, MS	110 mi west-northwest	11,100 ft	Limited — the beam overshoots the lowest part of storms

Beam height is the center of the 0.5° scan above the radar, with standard refraction. Mountains near a radar can block it further.

Tornado & hail history near Columbiana

Since 1950, NOAA has recorded 124 tornadoes within 25 miles of Columbiana, 35 of them EF2/F2 or stronger. Most came in April and March. The strongest was an F4 on January 24, 1964, which passed about 14 miles northeast of town and caused 10 deaths. The most recent was an EF0 on March 15, 2025, which passed about 21 miles southwest of town.

Hail: 252 reports of 1-inch or larger hail within 25 miles since 1955, 13 of them 2 inches or more; the largest was 4.50-inch hail on May 2, 2003.

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center — tornadoes 1950–2025, hail 1955–2025. Distances are to each tornado's track; ratings before February 2007 use the original Fujita scale.

On TALON you get Columbiana's live radar loop, rain/snow/ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks with arrival times and NWS warnings free; close-up radar and rotation detection are part of TALON Pro.

Columbiana radar FAQ

Where is the nearest weather radar to Columbiana, AL?

KBMX (Birmingham, AL), about 9 miles west. KMXX (Maxwell AFB, AL) is 66 miles away and also covers the area.

Does radar show snow in Columbiana?

Yes. TALON colors snow blue, a rain–snow mix pink and freezing rain purple using NOAA's precipitation-type analysis. Over Columbiana the lowest scan from KBMX is about 500 ft up.

Is TALON's radar for Columbiana free?

Yes — the US radar loop, rain/snow/ice colors, flash-flood risk, storm tracks and NWS warnings are free in any browser. Close-up radar, rotation detection and longer forecasts are part of TALON Pro.

Should I rely on radar for my safety?

No app replaces official warnings. When the National Weather Service issues a warning for Columbiana, follow it right away — see watch vs. warning.

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